FROM PURPOSE TO INQUIRY MODE

1. FROM PURPOSE TO INQUIRY MODE ©2006 William Holmes Performance Monitoring College of Public and Community Service University of Massachusetts at Boston

2. MULTIPLE PURPOSES, MULTIPLE MODES OF INQUIRY • Descriptive Purpose • Classification Purpose • Causal Purpose • Valuational Purpose Descriptive Mode Classification Mode Causal Mode Value Inquiry Mode

3. DESCRIPTIVE INQUIRY MODE • Focus on Measuring or Counting • Collects Data • Observes • Interviews

4. CLASSIFICATION INQUIRY MODE • Focus on Categorizing, Sorting, Assigning • Develops Taxonomies • Develops Typologies • Develops Categorization System • Develops Decision Trees

5. CAUSAL INQUIRY MODE • Focus on causal connections of inputs, services, outputs, and outcomes • Does experiments • Does quasi-experiments • Does structured case studies

6. VALUES INQUIRY MODE • Targets priorities, emphasizes value positions • Does Focus groups • Brainstorms • Examines Documents • Does Open-ended Interviews

7. FROM INQUIRY MODE TO INFORMATION PROCEDURES • DESCRIPTIVE METHODS • CLASSIFICATION METHODS • CAUSAL INQUIRY METHODS • EVALUATION METHODS

8. DESCRIPTIVE PROCEDURES • Case Studies • Cross-Sectional Designs • Pre-Post Designs • Panel Studies

9. CLASSIFICATION PROCEDURES • Case Studies • Cross-Sectional Designs • Pre-Post Designs • Panel Studies

10. CAUSAL/EXPLANATORY PROCEDURES • Case Study Examples • Cross-Sectional Quasi-experiments • Pre-Post Comparisons to Standards • Panel Study Quasi-experiments • True Experiments

11. EVALUATIVE PROCEDURES • Case Study Examples • Cross-Sectional Comparisons • Pre-Post Change and Output Comparisons • Panel Study Change, Output, and Subgroup Comparisons • Experimental Tests of Causal Connections and Output Results